Alone: Bad. Friend: Good! [Special Screenings, Oct. 17-24]

The Bride of Frankenstein. Photo courtesy Universal Pictures

Where’s My Roy Cohn? Matt Tyrnauer’s new documentary is on one of the most controversial and influential Americans of the 20th century: unscrupulous lawyer and ruthless political power broker Roy Cohn. His 28-year career ranged from acting as chief counsel to Senator Joe McCarthy’s Communist-hunting subcommittee to molding the career of a young Queens real-estate developer named Donald Trump. Art Theatre, 2025 E. Fourth St., Long Beach, (562) 438-5435. Thurs., Oct. 17, 1:30, 4 & 6:30 p.m.; Fri., 1:30, 4, 6:30 & 9 p.m. $9-$12.

Suspiria. It’s a 4K uncut restoration of Dario Argento’s 1977 horror flick about a young American student (Jessica Harper) arriving at a German dance academy, where she is thrust into a hallucinatory nightmare of witchcraft and murder. The Frida Cinema, 305 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana, (714) 285-9422; thefridacinema.org. Thurs.-Fri., Oct. 17-18, 2, 4, 6 & 8 p.m.; Sun., 2, 4, 6 & 8 p.m. $7-$10.50.

Talk to Her. The Pedro Almodóvar retrospective continues with his 2002 twister about a male nurse (Javier Cámara) and a travel writer (Darío Grandinetti) who have an encounter at a local play, meet again in a hospital ward and discover they have remarkably parallel lives. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Thurs., Oct. 17, 2:30, 6 & 8:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 & 5 p.m. $7-$10.50.

Anime Afternoons. Come watch and discuss anime favorites. Fullerton Public Library, 353 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, (714) 738-6327. Thurs. & Thurs., Oct. 17 & 24, 6 p.m. Free.

Psycho. Writer/researcher/TV professional Theo Siegel concludes A Night at the Movies’ Halloween series with the 1960 Hitchcock classic that must be among the most influential and blatantly ripped-off movies of all time. It’s about the uncomfortably close relationship between motel manager Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his rocking-chair-bound mother at a time when folks are disappearing. Bowers Museum, 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, (714) 567-3677; bowers.org. Thurs., Oct. 17, 6 p.m. $35-$55 $10-$15.

Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. Fathom Events and Saban Films present showings of Kevin Smith’s new comedy about Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) returning to Hollywood to stop a reboot of Bluntman and Chronic. Bonus content and 2001’s Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back also screen. Smith and Mewes next take the movie on a tour of select markets as The Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Roadshow. Various theaters; www.fathomevents.com. Thurs., Oct. 17, 7 p.m. $15.

The Exhibition Room Silent Film Series. The speakeasy, which one enters with a password and through a phone booth, and Long Beach Heritage Museum continue their semi-regular screenings of silent films. On the screen will be spooky cinema in honor of Halloween, and in your tummy will be featured spirit Copper & Kings Absinthe. (Note to self: Uber!) The Exhibition Room—Long Beach Craft Cocktails, 1117 E. Wardlow Rd., Long Beach, (562) 826-2940; www.theexhibitionroom.com. Thurs., Oct. 17, 8 p.m. $20. 21+.

Mary. Michael Goi’s new chiller is about a struggling blue-collar worker (Gary Oldman) who tries to turn around his family’s fortunes by buying and chartering out a boat. But his daughters act strangely at sea, and his wife (Emily Mortimer) notices odd occurrences on the ship. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Thurs., Oct. 17, 10 p.m. $7-$10.50.

OC Film Fiesta. This year’s cinextravaganza kicks off with a free celebration of the event’s 10th anniversary and the city of Santa Ana’s 150th birthday. Included is a community screening of Noé Santillán-López’s 2015 Mexican comedy Una última y nos vamos, a heartwarming road-trip picture about a mariachi group invited to perform at a prestigious national competition in Mexico City 30 years after their last big gig. Live mariachi music is part of the screening event. The Fiesta continues with many more films, celebrations and other special events not only in Santa Ana, but also Orange, Anaheim and Buena Park. Opening night at Ebell Club of Santa Ana, 718 Mortimer St., Santa Ana; ocfilmfiesta.org. Fri., 7:30 p.m. Free. More events through Nov. 3; visit website for locations, dates, times and ticket prices.

Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With the Future. Douglass M. Stewart Jr.’s documentary, which won a 2018 Newport Beach Film Festival Audience Award, is about the architect and painter who was born in 1888 and whose accomplishments are too vast for this space. Here are but a few projects he was involved in: the Golden Gate Bridge, the Helmsley Building, Citizen Kane, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Conquest of Space book series. Orange Coast College Planetarium, 2701 Fairview Rd., Costa Mesa; www.orangecoastcollege.edu/about_occ/planetarium/Pages/bonestell.aspx. Fri., 8:15 p.m.; Sat., 7:30 p.m. $5-$6.

Next of Kin. Tony Williams’ 1982 horror flick, which has been referred to as “Suspiria Down Under,” is about a young woman (Jacki Kerin) who reads of a string of mysterious deaths in an old diary she finds in her bequeathed childhood home that was converted into a nursing home before her mother’s death. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Fri., 10 p.m.; Sat., 10:30 p.m.; Sun., 8:30 p.m. $7-$10.50. 

Warm Bodies. In Jonathan Levine’s 2013 horror rom-com, a zombie (Nicholas Hoult) falls into a relationship with a mortal young woman (Teresa Palmer) after saving her from an attack. Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library, 1855 Park Ave., Costa Mesa, (949) 646-8845. Sat., 1:30 p.m. Free.

Scary Movie. A group of dumb teens are stalked by a bumbling serial killer in Keenan Ivory Wayans’ 2000 laugh riot that not only lampooned the horror genre (and spun off four sequels), but also created a new comedy genre that winks at other clichéd genres. La Habra Library, 221 E. La Habra Blvd., La Habra, (714) 526-7728. Sat., 2 p.m. Free. 

Western Stars. Bruce Springsteen and Thom Zimny’s new concert rockumentary has “The Boss” performing songs from his new album, Western Stars. Various theaters; www.fathomevents.com. Sat., 7 p.m.; Wed., 4 & 7 p.m. $15.

3 From Hell. Photo courtesy Sabian Films

3 From Hell. Rob Zombie’s new follow-up to House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects has crazed killers Baby Firefly (Sheri Moon Zombie), Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig) and Otis Driftwood (Bill Moseley) returning to unleash bloody mayhem. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun.-Thurs., Oct. 24, 10 p.m. $7-$10.50.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The pioneering midnight movie starts with the car of sweethearts Brad and Janet (Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon) breaking down near the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). The transvestite scientist’s home also hosts a rocking biker (Meat Loaf), a creepy butler (Richard O’Brien) and assorted freaks, including a hunk of beefcake named “Rocky.” Live shadow-cast troupe Midnight Insanity performs. Art Theatre, (562) 438-5435. Sat., 11:55 p.m. $9-$12.

Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. The Pedro Almodóvar retrospective offers his 1988 screwball comedy about an actress (Carmen Maura) reeling from a breakup. But her suffering is interrupted by a string of visitors to her apartment with their own passion problems. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Mon.-Tues., 2, 4, 6 & 8 p.m. $7-$10.50.

The Evil Dead. It’s a 4K restoration of Sam Raimi’s 1981 franchise launcher about a group of fresh-faced young people, who include Ashley “Ash” J. Williams (series star Bruce Campbell), meeting in a remote cabin to do what young people do, only to be interrupted by killers. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Mon.-Tues., 2:30, 4:30, 6:30 & 8:30 p.m. $7-$10.50.

QT8: The First 8. Tara Woods’ new documentary takes viewers through the first eight Quentin Tarantino films, from Reservoir Dogs to The Hateful Eight, with such talking heads as Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Diane Kruger and more. Various theaters; www.fathomevents.com. Mon., 7 p.m. $11.49-$17.

Joyeux Noel. Christian Carion’s 2006 historical drama is about World War I soldiers on opposing sides of the Western Front learning about one another’s ways of life during an unofficial Christmas 1914 truce. Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library, (949) 646-8845. Tues., 4 p.m. Free.

Vertigo. Photo courtesy Paramount Pictures

Vertigo. The 1958 Alfred Hitchcock classic has retired San Francisco police detective John “Scottie” Ferguson (Jimmy Stewart) suffering from acrophobia and a mean case of the hots for his old college pal’s wife, Madeleine (Kim Novak). Maddy may be nuts, suicidal and trying to lead Scottie to those fearsome high places. Fullerton Public Library, (714) 738-6327. Tues., 6 p.m. Free.

Creature From the Black Lagoon. It’s a 65th-anniversary screening of Jack Arnold’s monster flick about a team of scientists who stumble upon the missing link between fish and humans while exploring the Amazon River. Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Laguna Niguel at Ocean Ranch Village, 32401 Golden Lantern St., Laguna Niguel, (949) 373-7900; also at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Rancho Santa Margarita at Santa Margarita Town Center, 30632 Santa Margarita Pkwy., Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 835-1888. Tues., 7 p.m. $10.

Ghostbusters. It’s a 35th-anniversary screening of Ivan Reitman’s 1984 blockbuster in which paranormal scientists (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis) luck out of their university gigs and luck into a lucrative ghost-eradication business in a New York City gripped by untold evil. Directors Cut Cinema at Regency Rancho Niguel, 25471 Rancho Niguel Rd., Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-0446. Tues., 7:30 p.m. $8.

The Lost Boys. Joel Schumacher’s 1987 teen thriller stars the young Jason Patric and two Coreys (Haim and Feldman) in a story about newly arrived nerdy boys coming under the spell of a Northern California beachside town’s cool kids, who just loves them some neck blood. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Wed.-Thurs., Oct. 24, 2, 4, 6 & 8 p.m. $7-$10.50.

The Broker. The Docunight: Iranian Documentary Series continues with Azadi Moghadam’s 2018 examination of a traditional Iranian dating service run by women who find clients husbands, regardless of their personal feelings or preferences. In Persian with English subtitles. A Q&A follows. UC Irvine, McCormick Screening Room, Humanities Gateway 1070, Irvine; bit.ly/2p6XePN. Wed., 6:30 p.m. Free, but RSVP required via the website.

Sunset Blvd. Billy Wilder’s 1950 skewering of Tinsel Town has a struggling young screenwriter (William Holden) finding the easy life in the mansion of faded silent-film queen Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). The thing is she’s obsessed with him, stuck in time and totally cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. Starlight Cinema City, 5635 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, (714) 970-6700; starlightcinemas.com. Wed., 7 p.m. $7.

Hocus Pocus. Orange County Pride, which benefits from ticket sales, presents the 1993 live-action Disney comedy about three sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) awakening 300 years after their Salem-witchcraft death sentences. Now they have revenge and “amuck, amuck, amuck” on their minds. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Wed., 7:30 p.m. $15.

Murder on the Orient Express. In Sidney Lumet’s 1974 whodunnit, detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) must solve a murder that happened in his train car the night before. Regency South Coast Village, 1561 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, (714) 557-5701. Wed., 7:30 p.m. $10.

Dracula. Photo courtesy Universal Pictures

Dracula. Tod Browning’s 1931 classic from Universal Pictures’ golden era of horror stars Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula, who makes a British soldier his slave, takes up in an old London castle and is soon sucking the blood of young women. Fullerton Public Library, (714) 738-6327. Thurs., Oct. 24, 1 p.m. Free.

Frankenweenie. In Tim Burton’s 2012 computer-animated comedy, young Victor Frankenstein (voiced by Charlie Tahan) reanimates his deceased dog through a powerful science experiment. Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library, (949) 646-8845. Thurs., Oct. 24, 3:30 p.m. Free.

Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein. A Night at the Movies, which writer/researcher/TV professional Theo Siegel presents, concludes with a double feature of classic Universal monster pictures directed by James Whale. In 1931’s Frankenstein, which is of course based on Mary Shelley’s world-famous 1818 novel, obsessed scientist Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) successfully animates a creature (Boris Karloff) from body parts of the deceased, which is fine until the monster breaks out of the lab. Perhaps the wild beast can be tamed with a mate, which is why in 1935’s The Bride of Frankenstein, which is widely considered one of the best horror sequels of all time, a deceased woman (Elsa Lanchester) is brought back to life to join the monster (Karloff again). Bowers Museum, (714) 567-3677; bowers.org. Thurs., Oct. 24, 5:30 p.m. $35-$55 $10-$15.

Kusama: Infinity. This documentary shows how Yayoi Kusama overcame impossible odds to bring her radical artistic vision to the world and become the top-selling artist on the planet. Snacks and refreshments are provided, and seats are limited, all of which may explain why RSVPs are recommended. Huntington Beach Art Center, 538 Main St., Huntington Beach, (714) 374-1650. Thurs., Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m. Free, but donations are gladly accepted. 

Jeepers Creepers III. “Third time’s the charm,” promises Victor Salva’s 2017 horror flick about a sheriff (Stan Shaw), his team of creepers and a new cop enlistee (Brandon Smith) trying to stop a monster’s eating spree. Various theaters; www.fathomevents.com. Thurs., Oct. 24, 7 p.m. $12.50.

The Reliant. Paul Munger’s new action flick is about a family (headed by Kevin Sorbo and Julia Denton) fleeing for the woods behind their Ohio home when a once-in-a-lifetime currency collapse leads to rioting and anarchy across the nation. Various theaters; www.fathomevents.com. Thurs., Oct. 24, 7 p.m. $12.50.

One Piece: Stampede. Takashi Otsuka’s new anime is based on a story by Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the franchise celebrating its 20th anniversary. Pirates from around the world gather at the Pirates Expo to hunt for Gol D. Roger’s lost treasure. In Japanese with English subtitles. Starlight Cinema City, (714) 970-6700; also at Starlight Triangle Cinemas, 1870 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, (949) 650-4300; starlightcinemas.com. Thurs., Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. $6-$12.

The House of the Devil. It’s a 10th-anniversary screening of Ti West’s horror flick about a desperate college sophomore (Jocelin Donahue) who takes a babysitting job at a couple’s mansion deep in the woods on the night of a lunar eclipse. Things go south when she discovers there is no kid. The Frida Cinema; thefridacinema.org. Thurs., Oct. 24, 8 p.m. $7-$10.50.

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